Nature Discovery Series | December 2024
A series highlighting randomly selected artists and writers from the HOME | Nature Directory
Nature Discovery is a series exploring fresh corners of the HOME | Nature Directory on Substack. Each month, I ask my computer to generate five random numbers, which I match to the auto-assigned numbers in my list of publications signed up to be part of the Nature Directory. (It’s free! Submit your listing info, if you haven’t yet!)
For each publication, so long as it qualifies as a SmallStack—i.e., it has fewer than 1000 subscribers, for now—I’ll poke around in its archives and pick one of my favorite pieces to share with you here.
I’ve found some real gems for this edition. Please give these wonderful artists the gift of your time and attention!
One Stone
Writing from England, Sarah brings an array of insightful pieces on the intercalation of the natural and human worlds. This piece on the place of magpies in the myths and folklore of various cultures swept me away.
Nature’s tidings
by Kevin Sene
This Scotland-based scientist brings readers to his misty isle and the natural glories of the place through his photography and well-chosen, evocative words. His early winter visit to a seal nursery was a lovely voyage.
Florida Native
I once visited Florida as a kid and was warned not to walk too near the water hazards on the golf course next to our hotel, for fear an alligator would snatch me. Karen’s post taught me that alligators live in just about every water body in the state, so I suppose my parents weren’t being unreasonable! Still, Florida residents are more likely to be hit by lightning than suffer an unprovoked attack by these ancient lizards. This was a truly fascinating piece.
Rock & Hawk
Writing from the eastern U.S., James’ bird pieces are always replete with wonder: this one brings many ways of seeing—poetry, physics, photography, and natural history—to bear on the subject of the tiniest falcon.
By Nature
by Glyn Lehmann
After hearing Glyn’s magical composition highlighting one Australian magpie’s unusual tune, the song stayed in my head all day. Four notes and the truth, indeed. Glyn’s song embodies what my secret heart wishes for the future of humanity: us, making music and playing gently with our other-than-human friends, co-creating art with our fellow travelers on spaceship Earth. Don’t miss it.
And that’s five! See you all next month with five more nature ‘stacks that may just introduce you to an entirely new world,
🌲🦉
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Thank you so much for including me among such great writers!
Great series!